STEVE MARSHALL

“Ben Trying” And The Everlasting Gospel (JSD 1000) 1973?

Interesting cheesy drama piece about drunk good-for-nothing Ben Trying who crashes his car and gets rushed to the hospital where he’s visited upon by his three sisters. Misty gleefully speaks to him in glowing religious warm-and-fuzzies, while Earnestine lays on the guilt trip, telling him sternly that it’s not just a Hail Mary and a do-si-do that the Lord wants. Faith is left to present the proper Gospel, which Ben accepts just prior to kicking the bucket. Front cover photos show Faith at Ben’s bedside, Earnestine holding tablets declaring “REPENT” in large letters, and Misty with a big Bible, a pretty ﬂower and a happy . smile. Ben has bizarre dream sequences for each Sister, embellished with heartbeats, background music and echoed voices. Closes with Little Richard (yes, that Little Richard) singing ‘Amazing Grace’. Flip the record over and he does four more versions of the song. There’s also a segment where Ben is brought back from the dead and interviewed by Mr. Tutti-Frutti on how he would have gone on to live his life as a Christian had he not died. Features Steve Marshall as Ben. Apparently this is a soundtrack to an actual ﬁlm. (The Archivist, 4th Edition by Ken Scott).

There is a written version here and a video version here. The video is only 2:42 long so may only be a small portion of the original. It was written by William Gravestock. diakoneo

I have not acquired this album yet. Thank you Ken for the front cover photo.